Fatherhood . . . Again

Friday morning at about 3:00 am my wife got out of bed and informed me that she believed that her water had broken. An early morning wake up call to her doctor confirmed it. We headed to the hospital and later that morning at 9:40, Cecilia Elizabeth Metz was born at Riverside Methodist Hospital. She arrived in the world weighing a solid 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 20 inches long. She is incredibly healthy and beautiful. Her umbilical cord was huge highlighting a very healthy pregnancy. We will be leaving the hospital in an hour or two.

This most recent (and intended to be final) addition to the Metz family tilts the familial scales heavily in favor of the estrogen hormone. I have offered for Clark and me to take over the basement and have given the girls the reign over the rest of the house - we'll see how that proposal fleshes out.

In all seriousness, this day gives me pause for an incredible blessing from God. I have no words to thank God enough for the way he has blessed Mary Beth and I. In our pursuit of a family, we have never had any trouble concieving, we've never lost a baby through miscarriage, we've never had even a simple compication in now three child births, with the past two we've just spent one night in the hospital, our families have always been there to support us and help us out, our church family has always surrounded us and our children with love and support, our neighbors came over at three in the morning this go round to watch our kids - all incredle blessings from God.

Being in ministry, I see plenty of people who have had heartache after heartache in their pursuit of children and it serves to reinforce the goodness of God in my family's life. We don't deserve it. We are no better than any other family - far short of some to be sure. But we graciously accept it for what it is and give God all thanksgiving and gratitude. The road will not always be as clear and hazard-free as it has been to this point, but at the moment we thank God for all that he has done for us to this point. I feel the pull for the many families who have had the trials we have managed to avoid.

No matter how many times you go through the process of childbirth (Mom or Dad) the miracle of life never ceases to amaze. Yesterday I sat and looked at this little baby who was just a few minute ago in my wife stomach, and a few months ago nothing more than a sperm and an egg (in case you didn't know that - ha ha). Amazing. Life has never seemed more precious or fragile than it does for me right now. Abortion has never seemed more tragic. Child abuse has never seemed more inhumane. And love never more powerful.

And . . . just in case anyone was wondering, we failed on our boy name for the second time and are ready to release it for public knowledge - maybe someone needs a boy name:

Caedmon Adam Metz . . . wasn't meant to be :-) But, check out the story of Caedmon - awesome.